The Guest House Potato Salad Recipe

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Who is ready to make and devour the best potato salad recipe you’ve ever had in your entire life?! 

Haha! I know that sounds a little far fetched, but I kid you not. It is the best potato salad recipe there is. It’s honestly the only one I have ever tried and actually enjoyed, and I like to think I’m not even that picky of an eater. So you have been warned, it will make you a bit of a potato salad snob. 

If you follow our recipe posts on construction2style, you know I was born and raised in a small town in northern Minnesota and worked alongside my parents at a young age at their restaurant called “The Guest House.” It was one of the best mom and pop breakfast joints around!

I may be a little biased, but my mom and dad made the best hash browns, caramel rolls, sugar cookies, bran muffins, clubhouses, monte cristos, potato salad (and so much more) around. 

My parents closed the doors of their restaurant the day my dad died 13 years ago, and I’ve been trying to recreate their recipes since. The Guest House was my second home, and there are so many fond memories that building still holds for me and characteristics I developed that I’ll carry throughout a lifetime. One of which was the hometown cooking! 

I asked my mom if she’d be willing to share the potato salad recipe with you all, and she said, “I would love to!” So here it is, a recipe she hasn’t shared publicly, and since no one makes it better than my momma did, I wanted it to come directly from her. 

My parents would sell their potato salad not just to order for lunch or dinner but also by the gallon. This was a hit for graduations, 4th of July, Memorial and Labor day weekends! So if you’re wondering why we’re breaking this down by the gallon, this is just what we did and still do. And trust me, you’re going to want to make a gallon if you’re sharing this with anyone more than just your family. A gallon will serve 20-22 people. And if sealed properly, this will last you more than a few days to enjoy. 

First, you want to make sure that you have all the proper tools, utensils, mixing bowls and ingredients. The french fry cutter is key, I repeat…THE FRENCH FRY CUTTER IS KEY. And they’re a little tricky to find, so I’ve linked an inexpensive one for you here. Otherwise, just make sure you dice it up exactly how this grid is shaped. It’ll still taste great just might not look the same. 

Here’s what you need:

• 4-5 lbs red potatoes
• 8-12 hardboiled eggs
• 2 cups celery 
• 4 cups miracle whip
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup mustard
• 2 mixing bowls
• 1 large storage container
• a couple spatulas 
• whisk
• measuring cups
• knife
• cutting board
• french fry cutter

One thing my mom likes to do is cook the potatoes and the hard boil the eggs the night before. This is not necessary but makes throwing the rest of the ingredients together the next day a lot quicker! And it also alleviates that cool time. 

So first you are going to want to peel your 4-5 lbs of red potatoes. Once peeled, place into a large pot of water, boil and cook. (If you have the time, this is what you can do the night prior). You can also peel the potatoes after you cooke them, your preference. But my mom always peels them before she cooks them. 

Boil for about 10-12 minutes and use a fork to poke to see if they are done. You’ll want the fork to poke through easily but also have a bit of firmness to them without feeling too mushy. Once done, drain water and let cool.

In a separate pot, boil and cook 8-12 eggs, creating your hardboiled eggs. (Again, another thing you can do the night before).

To create our perfect hard-boiled eggs, we place all of the eggs in cold water, turn up the heat, and once boiling, set the timer for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, remove from heat and put into a separate bowl with ice cubes and place in the fridge for another 7 minutes. Once cool, peel. 

Once potatoes are cool, take the potatoes and insert them into your french fry cutter grid. As you push the potato through, take a knife and gently scrape the potato off of the grid every so often, making your little perfect potato cubes. Once done, set aside. My mom walks you through how she does this in the video above. 

Now you’ll do the same but with your hard-boiled eggs. Push each egg through your french fry grid and using a knife, scrape the egg off of the grid to create your perfect size cubes. Once done, set aside.

Now it’s time to make the dressing!

In a separate bowl, combine 4 cups Miracle Whip, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup whipping cream, and 1/2 cup mustard. DO NOT substitute the Miracle Whip for mayo or anything else. I tried that once and it was a total fail. 

Once mixed take all of your ingredients and mix them together – diced potatoes, diced eggs, and your dressing.

And as my mom said in the video, it may seem a little “wet” but don’t worry it’ll all soak in. And the last thing you want is your potato salad to feel too dry. 

Sprinkle with chives, salt, and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Cover the potato salad and refrigerate. If you have time to make it ahead, it tastes even better on day two! Keep refrigerated in an airtight container, and it will last up to a week.